PACIFIC BEACH — Local author Scott Prussing takes what his friends say to heart. When one of his buddies finished reading a suspense novel Prussing wrote, he made the comment that Prussing should write a story about vampires, because it would definitely sell. Prussing ran with the idea and recently released a vampire-themed novel called “Breathless,” just in time for the Halloween season. “It’s getting great feedback from people of all ages, from teenagers up to seniors,” Prussing said. “I think that’s because it’s got a good underlying story. I’ve had several people send me comments that they really love the book and they’ve never even been into the vampire phenomenon.” Prussing arrived in California from New Jersey in 1978 and landed in Pacific Beach. He left for several years but came back in 1988 and he’s been here ever since. Prussing said he loves the area because he can go for a walk or a bike ride along the boardwalk or bay every morning before taking that natural energy and applying it to his craft. Usually when he gets home he writes for a couple of hours or more depending on how it’s going. Prussing has been progressively honing his talents for the last 10 years, to the point where he has become a full-time writer. After writing two mystery-suspense novels, Prussing decided to enter into the vastly popular world of modern day vampires. “Breathless” is about the lives of some college students, the vampires who lurk among them and a race of beings called volkaanes, who are mortal enemies of vampires. Although he is well past traditional college-student age, Prussing found that observing the abundance of twenty-something’s and their styles roaming around PB was helpful in describing scenes that would ring true to readers. “Since the main characters are in college, I got a lot of ideas for outfits just by looking at the young women in PB,” he said. He also had a college student help edit the book to reinforce its authenticity. In honor of breast cancer awareness month, Prussing is donating $2 for every copy sold in October. The cause is very close to his heart because he has known several women who have battled the disease, in addition to losing his best friend, Marc, to cancer in April. The book is dedicated to Marc. A first edition hardcover of “Breathless” costs $17.99 and can be purchased at scottprussingpublishing.com where interested readers can also find out more about Prussing and the book. PB residents have the option of getting the book delivered and signed by the author himself if they want to avoid shipping charges. “Breathless” can also be found at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in Kearny Mesa or on amazon.com. Prussing hasn’t committed to his next project just yet, but said if “Breathless” is a success, he “will definitely write a sequel.”